Department of Migrant Workers plays a crucial role

The demand for overseas Filipino workers continues to grow, with foreign employers preferring Filipinos because of their admirable work ethic. This positive outlook has greatly contributed to their reputation for being reliable, dependable and hardworking. Added to that is their ability to communicate in English and their eagerness to learn the language of their host country.

According to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac, job opportunities are expanding rapidly in many countries across Europe such as the Czech Republic that is doubling its annual quota for Filipino workers, while Austria will need over 200,000 workers in the coming years and Croatia is opening up jobs in the health care and hotel sectors.

In the United States, the demand for nurses and other professionals in the health care sector as well as in education, manufacturing and information technology continues to be high. During my interactions with Republican and Democrat members of the US Congress, they only have high praise for Filipino workers, describing them as hardworking and dedicated.

Dubbed as “bagong bayani” or “new heroes,” OFWs have been a major contributor to the economy of the Philippines through their remittances that amounted to over $37.2 billion in 2023 which, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, represented 8.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product or GDP. Topping the country of origin for remittances was the United States followed by Singapore and Saudi Arabia. This year, OFW remittances are estimated at $38 billion and it’s likely this amount does not include money sent through informal channels.

As I pointed out on several occasions, OFWs are among our best assets and play a major role in promoting good relations with other nations – their loyalty and dedication earning praise and accolade as seen during the Oct. 7 attack of Hamas against Israel when a Filipina nurse refused to leave her elderly patient – with both of them brutally murdered.

But while we hail their heroism and value their contribution to the economy, these also come at great personal sacrifice, enduring the pain of separation from their families and loved ones. Worse, they are also the most frequent victims of labor and human rights abuses, especially women who make up most of the workforce. Cruel employers maltreat them, force them to work excessively long hours under terrible conditions and with little pay. We hear a lot of stories about OFWs being starved and physically abused for minor mistakes, humiliated and subjected to emotional and mental torture.

President Marcos has seen this personally during the years he spent in exile, and he certainly empathizes with the plight of OFWs. He has given clear instructions to Secretary Cacdac to ensure their welfare and protection, and provide assistance especially in times of need or distress. Just recently, the President inaugurated a one-stop center in Makati for OFWs that provides fast and streamlined services which include document processing of returnees, renewal, OWWA membership, legal assistance and other services. The facility also houses services from other government agencies essential to OFWs such as the Social Security System, Home Development Mutual Fund, Social Welfare and Development, among others.

There is no doubt the DMW plays a crucial role in protecting the rights of OFWs and promoting the welfare of their families as well. To this end, they have issued “whitelisting” guidelines that recruitment agencies must adhere to in order to monitor the safety of deployed workers. Efforts are also being doubled to go after illegal recruiters and close down their operations, intensifying awareness campaigns to educate Filipinos about the dangers posed by illegal recruiters.

OFW Mary Jane Veloso is a clear example of one who was victimized by illegal recruiters. She was supposed to work in Malaysia but was told that no work was available, and thus was sent to Indonesia where she was arrested for drug trafficking when authorities found heroin in her luggage, which Veloso claims was provided by her recruiter. Mary Jane is lucky to be repatriated to Manila following an agreement between Indonesia and the Philippines. Others were not so lucky, like Flor Contemplacion and a male worker in Saudi Arabia who was executed last October.

Many of us get emotional about the plight of overseas Filipino workers and the kind of heartbreak they go through providing for their families. In fact, not too long ago I got furious when one of the columnists in our publication wrote nasty comments about OFWs when they happened to be on the same flight with her to Manila. She mocked, belittled and insulted them in her column – so I fired her.

At a Christmas gathering in Malacañang to honor OFWs and their families, the President said his administration is strengthening cooperation with host countries to protect the rights of OFWs, hailing their contribution to the economy and assuring them that along with the DMW, our consulates and embassies all over the world are working to ensure their welfare.

Our embassy will do everything to protect and help OFWs in the United States, especially those who have a sword hanging over their head because of their uncertain legal status. This is also the reason why we are hoping to open more consulates in other parts of the US like Seattle and even in Alaska. We are also intensifying engagements with relevant US officials to advocate for Filipinos’ rights and welfare, and will continue to provide consular assistance to all Filipino nationals regardless of their immigration status. But when all is said and done – the only way to have legal status in the United States is to follow US laws.

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